Thursday, July 16, 2015

Five-year Anniversary

Our five-year anniversary is coming up in a couple months and since life seems to be getting busier by the day, I figured I better go ahead and write this now. The more I learn about my husband, the more I love him. These are some of those reasons. If you'd like to learn more about him too then read on (but don't fall in love with him because he's mine).

He loves music. If it's a Saturday night when Andrew's not working you can bet he's sitting on our back porch, beer in hand, watching some burgers on the grill and listening to movie soundtracks on his headphones. The volume is turned up to earsplitting so that he can hear every note of every instrument. Sure, you can catch him rocking out to some Jimmy Hendrix or Alan Jackson once in a while, but lyrics can often ruin a song, according to him. "Just shut up and play," he says. Steve Hackett is his favorite Pandora station and he cranks it when he wants to relax.

You'd have to be married to him for five years to figure it out, but he's also quite musically talented himself. He would never let you hear it, but his singing voice is soft and sweet and always on key. He took guitar for a while in high school and I plan on forcing him to take it up again someday because I have a feeling it's his hidden gift. You can't get much hunkier than a guitar-playing military man.

If you are lucky enough to be his friend, he is as loyal as they come. He will jump at the chance to help you. He will pick up the phone whenever you call or return it as soon as he gets the chance. He will call you regularly. He will move heaven and earth to be there for any special events in your life. One of his biggest dreams is to have the resources to buy his friends and family anything they need and he talks about it frequently. He will love you unconditionally and never expect a single thing in return.

He is protective; of his country, his friends, his family, his children and complete strangers. His desire to protect is not something that started when he joined the Navy. It's one of the main reasons he enlisted. But it's not just the love of justice and sense of duty that would compel him to jump in front of a bullet for you; it's his genuine love for the Lord and his love for you.

He is fascinated by storms. We both are, actually, but his fascination reaches new heights. The Weather Channel is often background noise in our home. A distant rumble of thunder will send him running outside to squint at the sky and evaluate the fierceness of the clouds. He watches the radar hoping some light rain will turn into armageddon. Once a storm does arrive, it is never destructive enough for him. I don't think he will be satisfied until we get an F-5 tornado combined with a hurricane and tsunami and we are floating on a raft waiting to be rescued by helicopter. Then he will finally look at me and say, "That was a good storm."

It's a common compliment to a husband from a wife, but it's true. He is an extraordinary dad. If you think I'm just saying that then take a look at his work schedule. He leaves the house around 3:45 AM and does not return home until close to 6 PM. I expect him to crash, but instead he's running around the house chasing the kids, tossing them on the bed and playing a game Will affectionately calls "The Hulk Game". He faithfully leads them in Bible time every night and takes his responsibility for their hearts seriously.

He coached me through three labors and held each of those babies with tears in his eyes. He grieved with me through two miscarriages and took on all the responsibilities that I couldn't. If I have a hard day as a mommy he is able to return home from his own exhausting day and cheer me up before he even takes his boots off. He shares my intense love of sweets and Bill Murray movies. He shows me what it means to fall humbly before the Lord. He has given me a busy and wonderful last five years and I can't wait to see what the next five bring.